Archive for December, 2006

Good Knight, Bono

What to get the guy who has everything for Christmas? For Queen Elizabeth II, it was easy: She gave Bono a knighthood.
The U2 frontman, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, campaigner for Third World aid and all around good soul was bestowed an honorary knighthood Saturday.
Or, as the British Embassy in Ireland put it: “Her […]

December 26th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Melancholic ‘River’ popular holiday tune

Joni Mitchell’s 1971 song “River” has been recorded by more than 100 other musicians and appeared on more than two dozen Christmas albums — but it’s far from a typical, cheerful holiday tune.
“I’ve known it from the time it was written, and I’ve always loved it,” says James Taylor, who included it on his “James […]

December 26th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

James Brown, civil rights icon, peacemaker

Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, James Brown.
The “Godfather of Soul,” who died in Atlanta on Monday aged 73, was one of the most important leaders of America’s civil rights movement during the second half of the 20th Century.
He communed with presidents and elected officials of all political stripes, recorded groundbreaking black-pride anthems, and may have […]

December 26th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

My Chemical Romance bringing album to life on tour

Rock band My Chemical Romance will kick off a North American arena tour February 22 in Manchester, N.H., in support of its current album, “The Black Parade.”
Dates are booked through March 16 in Reno, Nev., but more will be added to the itinerary. Support acts are Rise Against and Muse.
“We’re going to retain the essence […]

December 22nd, 2006 - Posted in Music Event, Music News

Oasis claim Green Day ripped them off

Noel Gallagher has accused Green Day of ripping-off one of his biggest Oasis hits.
The rock hero has claimed in a new interview that the global smash “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” is based around his own “Wonderwall.”
Gallagher–himself credited with recycling the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and others during his Oasis career–is upset by the timing of […]

December 22nd, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Duran Duran talk Timberlake

Duran Duran have revealed more details about their work with Justin Timberlake.
The ’80s pop legends have been recording with pop hero Timberlake and superstar producer Timbaland for their currently untitled new LP.
The follow-up to 2004’s Astronaut is scheduled for release in the summer and features some contributions from founding guitarist Andy Taylor, who left the […]

December 22nd, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Jessica Simpson out of Parton tribute

Unhappy with her second try at paying tribute to Dolly Parton for the “Kennedy Center Honors,”
Jessica Simpson has pulled out of the show.
Simpson drew unwanted attention earlier this month when she flubbed the words to Parton’s “9 to 5″ during a taping of the annual show, grew flustered and fled the stage. Producers gave her […]

December 22nd, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Colombian rocker Juanes lauded with park

Colombian rocker Juanes, who has led a crusade against land mines, will be honored in his hometown with a giant park designed for the thousands of victims who have lost limbs during the country’s violent civil conflict.
Construction on the $4 million “Juanes Peace Park” will begin next week. It will include sporting and recreation facilities […]

December 22nd, 2006 - Posted in Music News

The Alligator Records Christmas Collection - Various Artists

So many talented artists & songs to pick from, so why doesn’t this, Alligator’s major Christmas showcase, blow me away? I don’t like over produced tunes, but much of this is way under produced. If you’re looking for a CD that you’ll grow more fond of through each passing season, as I was, look […]

December 21st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Bat Out Of Hell III - Meat Loaf

The long-awaited third record in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy, The Monster Is Loose, wears bombast, pretension, and pyrotechnics proudly on its album sleeve and across the bulging disc’s 14 tracks. More a pop orchestral mishmash than a well-defined rock opus, Bat III is dark, seemingly hopeless at times, and über dramatic. Oddly […]

December 21st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Dreamgirls - Original Soundtrack

The big question about this soundtrack is: how’s she doing? No, not Beyoncé, silly–how’s Jennifer Hudson doing? And more specifically, how’s she doing by “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”? To this reviewer’s ears, she doesn’t top the original Effie, Jennifer Holliday–or even Lillias White, from the 2001 Dreamgirls in Concert. On […]

December 21st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Izzy Stradlin joins Axl at Guns show in L.A

Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose gave fans an early Christmas gift on Sunday, when he brought out former bandmate Izzy Stradlin for five songs during the rock group’s concert in Los Angeles.
Stradlin, who quit Guns N’ Roses in November 1991 and has lived a fairly reclusive existence ever since, looked like a Blues Brother, […]

December 19th, 2006 - Posted in Music Event, Music News

Aaron Carter says he’s smitten with love

Aaron Carter, who broke off his engagement to former Playboy Playmate Kari Ann Peniche just a week after he proposed onstage in Las Vegas, says he’s in love.
Carter, who turned 19 on Dec. 7, is dating 18-year-old singer Kaci Brown. They hit it off last week in Miami when he celebrated his birthday with twin […]

December 19th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Actress Tawny Kitaen enters drug rehab for cocaine

Actress Tawny Kitaen, best known as the star of a series of 1980s heavy metal videos, has entered a drug rehabilitation program to resolve cocaine possession charges, her lawyer said on Monday.
Kitaen, 45, was facing a possible three years in prison on the felony charge of possessing 15 grams of cocaine but entered a six-month […]

December 19th, 2006 - Posted in Music News